Explaining Allicin – Garlic’s Most Powerful Ingredient

Posted by Katelyn Willoughby / garlicshaker.com
on
January 30, 2018

Garlic:
known by some as the miracle clove, what secret ingredient makes it so
powerful? The answer is allicin, the component responsible for garlic’s vast
anti-bacterial effects. In a previous post, we explained the numerous
benefits of garlic consumption – slowing the aging process, reducing your risk
of cancers, lowering your cholesterol, and promoting blood flow (just to name a
few). Now we’ll explore the little element responsible for its health-enhancing
effects of freshly peeled garlic cloves on the human body!

1.Allicin is garlic’s
first line of defense
. Ever notice that your garlic plants deter pests?
It’s not just their pungent smell! Garlic’s allicin actually serves as a
defense mechanism against pest attacks – an enzymatic reaction occurs when the
plant is threatened or injured. Garlic creates an allicin secretion, which is
toxic to most insects and microorganisms. While we benefit from this
ingredient, pests perish!

2.Allicin likes it
rough
. Bruising, chopping, and crushing activates allicin. As mentioned,
when the garlic plant feels threatened, or is damaged, the chemical reaction
that follows actually produces the mighty allicin. Thus, when you’re crushing
garlic you’re actually releasing its most potent ingredient. Go ahead – chop up
those cloves to reap the benefits!

3.While strong,
allicin is kind of fickle
. Once garlic is cooked, the healing properties of
allicin diminish rapidly. “That’s OK,” you say. “I’ll just down it raw.” Sorry
– but the chemical process of digestion also breaks down the compound.
Consuming garlic whole and raw is the best way to reap allicin’s health
benefits, although your gut will steal some of its glory. Just remember to
consume those cloves as regularly as possible!

You
may be tempted to introduce garlic supplements- which boast of allicin’s
healing properties - into your diet after reading this post. However, before
you go sprinting to your nearest health store, consider the following:

Tablets: Dehydrated garlic, or garlic tablets, vary in their
levels of allicin. Many manufacturers provide information on the “allicin
potential” of their powdered garlic supplements, but few provide information on
the “allicin release.” Tablets that have undergone USP testing (U.S.
Pharmacoeial, wherein the product has been tested vigorously using standards
that mimic that of the human body) yield the highest levels of allicin – check
the label!

Oils: Many supplements come in the form of capsules, filled with
garlic oil that has been distilled. Tests have shown that garlic in this form
has higher levels of allicin than tablets, but be sure to check doses - 2.4-7.2
g/day will give you the best results!

Powder extracts: Allicin powder extracts are a much better choice
because they are the only ones to deliver a standardized amount of allicin that
is stable and can be used directly by the body. When choosing a powder, look
for those that contain at least 180mg of allicin.

The
most common side effect
- the smell! The most frequently reported adverse
effects of garlic supplements are breath and body odor. But there are ways to
minimize the aroma –
check
out this post for quick tips
. Whether you’re consuming garlic raw or in the
form of supplements, remember that the secret to the cloves’ curing qualities
is that tiny compound allicin – now go grab that garlic! To get the maximum benefits of the allicin in the garlic clove you are most definitely going to nbeed to peel the skin off. Watch our video and learn
how to peel garlic the easy way.